Detecting apparatus



Oct. 8, 1968 BARNETT ET AL 3,404,451

DETECT ING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan.

06$- 8, 1968 BARNETT ET AL 3,404,461

DETECTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 24L 26 POWER J1 SUPPLY RECORDER MOTOR 23 MOTOR 53 I CAPSTAN fzz BATTERY Oct. 8, 1968 BARNETT ET AL 3,404,461

DETECTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 24, 1966 FIG. 6

United States Patent York Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,681 9 Claims. (Cl. 33-149) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed surface portions of two web connected parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, includes a pair of gage rollers mounted on respective pivoted arms. The arms are biased toward one another so that the rollers are received between respective surface portions of the strands on opposite sides of the web. As the strands are advanced longitudinally each roller rides up on at least one of its respective surface portions whenever the spacing between the surface portions is less than the preselected minimum, thereby causing the operation of a recording device. The arms are carried by a support member mounted on a base member for linear movement transversely with respect to the strands and the base member is adjustably rotatable for proper positioning of the rollers relative to the strands.

This invention relates to detecting apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for detecting when the spacing between two elongated and juxtaposed curved surfaces is less than a preselected minimum.

In the manufacture of self-supporting communication cable, an elongated steel support member and a conductor cable core are drawn from reels through extrusion apparatus which extrudes jacketing material about the support member and the core to form an integral assembly in which the two strands formed by the jacketed core and the jacketed support member are connected by a web of the jacketing material. The cable subsequently is supported in the field by pairs of opposed clamp members, each clam-p member substantially conforming in part to the side configuration of the support strand and having a portion which extends between juxtaposed surface portions of the strands and into engagement with, or at least in close proximity to, the connecting web. In this regard, it is essential that the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions be not less than a preselected minimum value, since otherwise the clamp members will have to be forced into position with respect to the cable, thereby resulting in possible damage to the jacketing material, as for example by puncturing it or causing it to crack, whereby the conductor core and/or the support member will be exposed to the elements and be subject to deterioration therefrom. Thus, .during the manufacturing process any part of the cable in which the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions of the strands is less than the preselected minimum, is cut out of the cable, with only the resultant cable lengths which meet manufacturing requirements being shipped to the field.

Heretofore, the parts of the cable in which the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions of the strands was less than the preselected minimum, have been detected and marked manually by an operator as the cable passed along the extrusion line. This procedure, in addition to being-tedious and inaccurate, obviously is undesirable since it requires the continuous presence of an operator for this sole purpose.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for automatically detecting and accurately indicating the locations of parts of a self- Ice supporting cable in which the spacing between juxtaposed surface portions of the support and conductor core strands of the cable is less than a preselected minimum.

A further object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for detecting when the spacing between two elongated and juxtaposed curved surfaces is less than a preselected minimum.

Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surfaces of two web connected parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, in which lateral movement of the web connected strands has substantially no effect upon the operation of the apparatus.

In accordance with the invention, apparatus for detecting when the spacing between two elongated and juxtaposed curved surfaces is less than a preselected minimum comprises a movably mounted gage member which includes a gaging portion having a thickness equal to the preselected minimum spacing between the surfaces. The gaging portion is positionable between the surfaces and is held therebetween by a biasing mechanism. As relative movement then is caused between the gage member and the surfaces in a direction extending substantially parallel to the surfaces, the gaging portion rides up on at least one of the surfaces when the spacing between the surfaces is less than the preselected minimum, to cause energization of an indicating mechanism.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, includes a support member mounted for linear movement transversely with respect to the strands during relative movement between the support member and the strands. First and second gage members are mounted on the support member for pivotal movement about a common axis which extends parallel to the direction of movement of the support member, and each of the gage members includes a gaging portion having a thickness equal to a preselected minimum spacing between the juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands. The gage members are biased toward one another such that their gaging portions are received between respective surface portions of the strands on opposite sides of the connecting web. During relative movement between the gage members and the strands each of the gage members rides up on at least one of its respective surface portions when the spacing between the surface portions is less than the preselected minimum, to cause energization of an indicating mechanism.

This invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged crosssectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and illustrating a detail of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustra ing a modified form of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operating circuit for the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a self-supporting cable illustrating the manner in which associated mounting clamps are attached to the cable;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a self-supporting cable illustrating the manner in which the apparatus detects one type of defective cable condition; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a self-supporting cable illustrating the manner in which the apparatus detects another type of defective cable condition.

Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawing, it is seen that the illustrated embodiment of the invention relates to the manufacture of a self-supporting communication cable 11 which includes a conductor cable core 12 and an elongated support member or cable 13 of a material such as steel. In the manufacture of the self-supporting cable 11 the core 12 and the support member 13 are drawn from respective reels through extrusion apparatus (not shown in the drawings) which extrudes jacketing material about the core and the support member to form an integral assembly including a conductor core strand 14 and a support strand 16 connected by a web 17 of the jacketing material.

The completed cable 11 is supported in the field, as for example on a pole 18, by a pair of opposed clamp members 19, as shown in FIG. 6. Each clamp member 19 has a curved surface portion which substantially conforms to one side of the support strand 16, with a part 19a of the clamp member extending between juxtaposed surface portions 14a and 16a of the strands 14 and 16 into engagement wi.h, or at least into close proximity to, the connecting web 17. The clamp members 19 are secured together by suitable bolts, a central one of which, as shown in FIG. 6, also secures the clamp members to the pole 18.

From FIG. 6, it is apparent that unless the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions 14a and 16a of the strands 14 and 16 where they join the connecting web 17 is of a preselected minimum value S, which in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is .035 thousandths of an inch, the clamp members 19 will not fit properly against the sides of the support strand 16 without being forced into position. This forcing of the clamp members 19 into position may damage the cable jacketing material such that the conductor core 12 and/or the support member 13 will become exposed to the elements and subject to deterioration therefrom. Accordingly, it is necessary that the parts of the cable 11 which do not have the proper spacing S between the juxtaposed surface portions 14a and 16a of the strands 14 and 16 be removed from the cable during the manufacturing process.

More specifically, during the manufacturing process, in Which the steel support member 13 is drawn from a reel through the extrusion apparatus, as noted hereinabove, after the cable 11 exits from the extrusion apparatus the support member has a tendency to coil because of its inherent resiliency. Thus, as is illustrated in FIG. 7, the support strand 16 of the cable 11 may become tilted or laid over with respect to the conductor strand 14 so as to decrease the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions 14a and 16a of the strands on one side of the connecitng web 17 below the preselected minimum spacing S such that the clamp members 19 cannot be positioned against the cable as shown in FIG. 6 without the application of force which might tend to damage the cable jacketing material.

FIG. 8 illustrates another possible defective condition of the cable 11 in which the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions 14a and 16a of the strands 14 and 16 on both sides of the connecting web 17 is less than the preselected minimum spacing S, as a result of the actual height of the web being less than the preselected minimum spacing. The illustrated embodiment of this invention, which is now to be described, is designed to detect and to indicate the location of the parts of the cable 11 in which the defective cable conditions shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are present, as the cable passes along the extrusion line.

As viewed in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the cable 11 is advanced from the above-mentioned extrusion apparatus through a cooling trough 21, a portion of which is shown at the right hand side of the figure, from right to left by a capstan 22, which is shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 5. The capstan 22 is driven by a motor 23 con 4 L nectible to a power supply 24 througha start button 26 for the extrusion line, and the cable ultimately passes from the capstan to a suitable takeup, which is not shown. During its advancement the cable 11 is maintained in a preselected position against rotation by suitable guide rollers, such as rollers 27 (FIGS. 1 and 2 journalled in a ring-shaped frame assembly 2 8 at the entrancet-o'the" capstan 22.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a pair of gage rollers 29 and 31 which ride on opposite sides of the connecting web 17 of the advancing cable 11, and each roller includes a circumferentially extending peripheral portion of a thickness T (FIG. 2) equal to the preselected minimum spacing S between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a. The roller 29 is journalled on one end of a horizontal shaft 32 having its opposite end fixedly secured to one end of an elongated arm 33, and the roller 31 similarly is journalled on one end of a horizontal shaft 34 having its opposite end secured toone end of an elongated arm 36. The other end of the arm 36 is secured to a cylindrical sleeve 37 journalled in suitable bearings in a slide member 38, which preferably is of a light material, such as aluminum, and the other end of the arm 33 similarly is secured to one end of a horizontal shaft 39 which is journalled in the cylin-.

drical sleeve concentric therewith. Thus the rollers 29 and 31 are free floating and can adjust to lateral movement of the cable 11 in a vertical direction. The arms 33 and 36 are biased toward one another by a coil spring 41 (FIG. 1).

Referring to FIG. 2, it is seen that a radially extending arm 42 is secured to the right hand end of the rotatable shaft 39, as viewed in this figure, and has a microswitch 43 mounted thereon adjacent its outer end for a purpose which will subsequently be described. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the arms 33 and 42 preclude anysubstantial movement of the shaft 39 longitudinally in the rotatable sleeve 37.

The slide member 38 is mounted for movement transversely with respect to the path of the advancing cable 11 so that the rollers 29 and 31, in addition to being free floating for movement in a vertical direction, can adjust to lateral movement of the cable in a horizontal direction. More specifically, the slide member 38 is supported for movement on a pair of laterally spaced guide rods 44 having their opposite ends mounted in upstanding portions of a base member 46.

Further, while the cable 11 is shown in FIG. 2 as being advanced with the longitudinal centerlines of the conduc-. tor core strand 14 and the support strand 16 in a common horizontal plane, to facilitate the passage of thecable about the capstan 22 it frequently is necessary that the cable be advanced into the capstan in a position in which the cable is rotated slightly about its longitudinal axis clockwise, as viewed in this figure, thus requiring thatthe rollers 29 and 31 be adjusted clockwise a similar amount. Accordingly, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base member 46 includes laterally projecting flanges 46a by means of which it is adjustably mounted on the frame assembly 28 through screw and slot connections 47 for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the cable 11. In this regard, to help preclude the rollers 29 and 31 -from being pulled out of position adjacent theconnecting web 17 by the weight of the slide-roller assembly 29-43under this condition, a light coil spring 48 (FIG. 2) is provided on each of the guide rods 44 between the slide 38- and one of the upstanding portions of the base member 46, to counterbalance the weight of the slide-roller assembly.

When the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a of the advancing cable 11 on either side-of the connecting web 17 falls below thepreselected minimum spacing S, the associated roller 29 or 3 1'. rides up on at least one of the surface portions, causing the'rollers to separate slightly. For example, when the supportstrand 16 of the cable 11 is tilted orlaid over with respectto.

the conductor strand 14 as shown in FIG. 7,, the roller 29 may ride up on one or both of its adjacent surface portions 14a and 16a, depending on factors such as the position and configuration of the defective part of the cable, the degree of flexing of the arms 33 and 36, etc. Similarly, when the spacing between the strand'surface portions 14a and 16a is less than the preselected minimum spacing S as a result of the actual height of the connecting web 17 being less than the minimum spacing, as shown in FIG. 8, the rollers 29 and 31 ride up on their respective strand surface portions 14a and 16a on both sides of the web so that the rollers separate slightly.

The separation of the rollers 29 and 31 causes operation of the microswitch 43 on the rotatable shaft 39. In this regard, the microswitch 43 includes an operating member 49 which carries a roller 51, the operating member and the roller being spring biased toward the rotatable sleeve 37. When the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a of the advancing cable 11 on both sides of the connecting web 17 is equal to or greater than the preselected minimum spacing S, the rollers 29 and 31 are spaced relative to one another on opposite sides of the web as shown in FIG. 2, and as is best shown in FIG. 3, the microswitch roller 51 is engaged against a cylindrical surface portion of the rotatable sleeve 37. However, when the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a on either side of the web 17 falls below the preselected minimum spacing S, causing the rollers 29 and 31 to separate slightly as above described, the sleeve 37 and the shaft 39 are rotated relative to one another so that the roller 51 rides over the cylindrical surface of the sleeve and drops into a slot or depression 37a cut into the cylindrical surface, whereby the spring urged operating member 49 moves to close the microswitch 43, which then operates a chart recorder 52 (FIG. 5).

The chart recorder 52 may be of any suitable type, as for example the Speedomax type G manufactured by the Leeds and Northrup Company of Philadelphia, Pa., and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a supply spool 53 and a takeup spool 54 for a chart paper 56, the takeup spool being driven by a synchronous motor 57 which advances the chart paper at a constant speed and which is energized from the power supply 24 upon the closing of the cable extrusion line start button 26. When the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a on both sides of the connecting web 17 of the advancing cable 11 is equal to or greater than the preselected minimum spacing S, as the chart paper 56 is advanced a recording pen 58 of the chart recorder 52 traces a zero reference line on the paper. However, when the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a on either side of the web 17 falls below the preselected minimum spacing S, so that the microswitch 43 is closed, the microswitch connects a servomotor 59 of the chart recorder 52 to a battery 61 to energize the servomotor. The servomotor 59, through a drive gear 62 and associated teeth on the recording pen 58, then deflects the recording pen to indicate the starting point of the defective cable condition on the chart paper 56, and also drives a slide wire (not shown) to counterbalance the error signal produced by the application of the battery 61. The recording pen 58 remains deflected as long as the defective cable condition is present, and when the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16:! again meets requirements, the microswitch 43 is opened to deenergize the servomotor 59, which then returns the recording pen to its zero reference position to indicate the terminating point of the defective cable condition on the chart paper 56, and which also returns the above-mentioned slide wire to its original position to counterbalance the error signal produced by the dis connecting of the battery.

OPERATION In operation, in preparing for a cable run an operator marks the initial location of the recording pen 58 (FIG. 5) of the chart recorder 52 on the chart paper 56, and also enters other pertinent cable run information on the chart paper, as for example the cable run number and a selected extrusion line speed for the run. Subsequently, when the start button 26 is depressed to start the extrusion line, the motor 23 drives the capstan 22 to advance the cable 11 at the selected line speed, and the synchronous motor 57 drives the chart paper takeup spool 54 to advance the chart paper 56 from its supply spool 53 at a constant rate of speed.

During the advancement of the cable 11 along the extrusion line, as long as the spacing between the juxtaposed surface portions 14a and 16a of the strands 14 and 16 on both sides of the connecting web 17 is equal to or greater than the preselected minimum spacing S (FIG. 6), the rollers 29 and 31, which have been positioned on opposite sides of the web as shown in FIG. 2, remain spaced relative to one another as shown in this figure. At the same time the recording pen 58 of the chart recorder 52 traces the zero reference line on the chart paper 56, as shown in FIG. 5. During the advancement of the cable 11, any substantial rotation thereof about its longitudinal axis is precluded by the guide rollers 27 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

When the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a on either side of the connecting web 17 falls below the preselected minimum spacing S, the associated roller 29 or 31 rides up on one or both of the strand surface portions 14a and 16a (FIGS. 7 and 8), whereby the rollers separate slightly. The separation of the rollers 29 and 31, through the arms 33 and 36, causes relative rotation between the rotatable sleeve 37 and the rotatable shaft 39, whereby the roller 51 on the springurged operating member 49 of the microswitch 43 rides over the surface of the sleeve and drops into the depression 37a (FIG. 3) to close the microswitch. The closing of the microswitch 43 energizes the servomotor 59 (FIG. 5) of the chart recorder 52 from the battery 61, whereupon the servomotor rotates the gear 62 to deflect the recording pen 58 to indicate the beginning point of the defective cable condition on the chart paper 56, and also drives its associated slide wire (not shown) to counterbalance the error signal produced by the application of the battery 61.

The recording pen 58 remains deflected as long as the defective cable condition exists. Then, when the spacing between the strand surface portions 14a and 16a again meets requirements, the rollers 29 and 31 are returned to their original positions in FIG. 2 by their biasing spring 41 (FIG. 1), thereby causing relative rotation between the sleeve 37 and the shaft 39 in a reverse direction so that the microswitch roller 51 rides out of the depression 37a to open the microswitch 43. The opening of the microswitch 43 deenergizes the servomotor 59, which then returns the recording pen 58 to its zero reference position, thereby indicating the terminating point of the defective cable condition on the chart paper 56, and which also returns its associated slide wire to its original position to counterbalance the error signal produced by disconnecting of the battery 61.

After the cable run is completed the cable 11 is removed from the above-mentioned takeup and is subjected to a rereeling operation. During the rereeling operation the line traced by the recording pen 58 on the chart paper 56 is utilized to locate the parts of the cable 11 which are defective, if any, and the defective parts are cut out of the cable.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention which has greater sensitivity than the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In this embodiment, a radially extending cam member 63 is provided on a rotatable sleeve 137, and a support arm 142 for a microswitch 143 is provided on a rotatable shaft 139, the support arm being elongated radially outward as compared to the .support arm 42 shown in the apparatus of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In operation, a roller 151 on an operating member 149 of the microswitch 143 normally is engaged with an outer end surface of the radially extending cam member 63. However, upon the gage rollers 29 and 31 separating as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 as a result of encountering a. defective portion of the cable 11, the roller 151 rides over the outer surface of the radially extending cam member 63 and drops into a slot 63a in the surface to cause operation of the microswitch 143 in the same manner as the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. with the exception that since the microswitch is mounted a considerably greater distance from the axis of rotation of its support shaft 139, the extent of movement of the microswitch for the same relative movement between the gage rollers is substantially greater.

While two embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, many modifications will be apparent and it is intended that the invention be interpreted as including all modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between two elongated juxtaposed curved surfaces is less than a preselected minimum, which comprises:

a movably mounted gage member which includes a gaging portion having a thickness equal to the preselected minimum spacing between the elongated juxtaposed curved surfaces;

resilient means for biasing said gage member such that the gaging portion of said gage member is urged in between the elongated juxtaposed curved surfaces, the gaging portion of said gage member, when relative movement occurs between said gage member and the surfaces in a direction extending substantially parallel to the surfaces, riding up on at least one of the surfaces and against the action of said resilient means when the spacing between the surfaces is less than the preselected minimum; and

means responsive to the gaging portion of said gage member riding up on at least one of the surfaces, for indicating the presense of the less than the preselected minimum spacing between the surfaces.

2. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between two elongated and juxtaposed curved surfaces is less than a preselected minimum, as recited in claim 1, in which said gage member is a roller having a circumferentially extending, peripheral gaging portion having a thickness equal to the preselected minimum spacing between the surfaces.

3. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two elongated parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, which comprises:

a movably mounted gage member which includes a gaging portion having a thickness equal to the preselected minimum spacing between the juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands;

drive means for causing relative movement between the strands and said gage member in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands;

resilient means for biasing said gage member such that the gaging portion of said gage member is received between the juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands, the gaging portion of said gage member, during the relative movement between said gage member and the strands, riding up on at least one of the surface portions and against the action of said resilient means when the spacing between the surface portions is less than the preselected minimum;

a recording device having a portion thereof operable at a speed proportional to the speed at which said drive means causes relative movement between said gage member and the strands; and

means responsive to the gaging portion of said gage ell member riding up on at least One of the surface portions, for operating another portion of said recording device so that said recording device indicates the parts of the strands at which the less than the preselected minimum spacing between the juxtaposed curved surface portions occurs.

4. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, during relative movement between the strands and the apparatus in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, which apparatus comprises:

first and second gage means each mounted for pivotal movement about an axis which extends transversely with respect to the web connected strands during relative movement between the strands and said first and second gage means, each of said gage means including a gaging portion spaced from its pivotal axis and having a thickness equal to a preselected minimum spacing between respective ones of the juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands;

resilient means for biasing said first and second gage means toward one another such that the gaging portions thereof are received between their respective juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands on opposite sides of the web connecting the strands, each of the gaging portions, during the relative move. ment between the strands and said first and second gage means, riding up on at least one of its respective surface portions against the action of said resilient means when the spacing between its respective surface portions is less than the preselected minimum, thereby causing relative movement between said first and second gage means; and

means responsive to the relative movement between said first and second gage means for indicating the pres ence of the less than the preselected minimum spacing between the surface portions of the strands.

5. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, during relative movement between the strands and the apparatus in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, as recited in claim 4, which further comprises:

means mounting said pivoted first and second gage means for pivotal movement on a common axis; and

means mounting said first and second gage means for movement parallel to the common pivotal axis.

6. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, during relative movement between the strands and the apparatus in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, which apparatus comprises:

a support member mounted for linear movement transversely with respect to the web connected, parallel strands during relative movement between said support member and the strands;

first and second arms mounted on said support member for pivotal movement about a common axis which extends parallel to the direction of movement of said support member;

a gage member mounted on each of said arms in spaced relationship with respect to the common pivotal axis of said arms, each of said gage members including a gaging portion having a thickness equal to a preselected minimum spacing between respective ones of the juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands;

resilient means for biasing said first and second arms toward one another such that the gaging portions of said gage members are received between their respective juxtaposed, curved surface portions of the strands on opposite sides of the web connecting the strands, each of the gaging portions, during the relag tive movement between said gage members and the strands, riding up on at least one of its respective surface portions when the spacing between its respective surface portions is less than the preselected minimum, thereby causing relative movement between said arms; and

means responsive to the relative movement between said arms for indicating the presence of the less than the preselected minimum spacing between the surface portions of the strands.

'7. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, during relative movement between the strands and the apparatus in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, as recited in claim 6, which further comprises:

a base member on which said support member is mounted for its transverse movement with respect to the web connected, parallel strands, said base member being adjustably rotatable about an axis extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, for proper positioning of said gage members relative to the strands; and

resilient means on said base member for supporting the weight of said support member, said arms, said gage members, said first-mentioned resilient means and at least a part of said indicating mechanism, when said base member is rotated such that the direction of linear movement of said support member is at an angle to the horizontal.

8. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, during relative movement between the strands and the apparatus in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, as recited in claim 6, which further comprises:

first and second concentric member's mounted on said support member for rotation about the common pivotal axis of said first and second arms, said first and second arms being secured to said first and second concentric members, respectively; and

a switch forming a part of said indicating means and mounted on said first concentric member so as to be actuated by relative rotation between said concentric members upon the gaging portion of one of said gage members riding up on at least one of its respective juxtaposed curved surface portions of the strands when the spacing between the surface is less than the preselected minimum.

9. Apparatus for detecting when the spacing between juxtaposed curved surface portions of two web connected, parallel strands is less than a preselected minimum, during relative movement between the strands and the apparatus in a direction extending parallel to the longitudinal axes of the strands, as recited in claim 8, which further comprises:

a radially projecting cam member on said second concentric member engaged with an actuating member of said switch a substantial distance from the axis of rotation of said concentric members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,233,328 2/1966 Schooley -1 33-143 3,116,560 1/1964 Matthews 33-174 2,913,828 11/1959 Bloxharn.

2,848,816 8/1958 ONeill.

2,179,517 11/ 1939 Pelosi.

2,019,741. 1I/1935 Steckel et al. 33-148 L EON A R D FORM AN, Primary Examiner.

R. A. FIELDS, Assistant Examiner. 

